Last year, the Roberts Cos. wrapped a $60 million, three-year plan to renovate the company’s hotels, said President Steven Roberts, who owns the company with his brother, Chief Executive Michael Roberts.

But while the hotels were being renovated, their average occupancy fell, so 2011 will be a year of improving lodging rates and attracting more guests, he said.

Attracting buyers for the 55 condos at the $80 million Roberts Tower, a high-end condominium development at the Old Post Office Plaza in downtown St. Louis, will also be a challenge for 2011, Steve Roberts said.

“We have probably 300 reservations in the system, but when we have gone back to these folks … they say, ‘We are waiting for our bank,’ ” he said. “There is pent-up demand, but folks are unable to find lenders who will lend them the money.”

Still, the tower will keep the units as condos and won’t convert them into apartments, he said.

NFL Hall of Famer and former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula plans to open a steakhouse, Shula’s 347 Grill, this spring at the Roberts Tower.

102 Guarantee Electrical Co.2010 revenue: $135.3 million -24.6%

Despite the completion of several projects, including River City Casino, the Jacksonville (Fla.) International Airport expansion, the SunCoke Energy Complex in Granite City, Ill., and the installation of solar panels in the Jefferson County School District in Denver, 2010 was a slower year for Guarantee Electrical. “The recession finally caught up to us,” CEO Rick Oertli said.

Oertli said he expects a further decrease in revenue this year, and the company is bidding at lower margins and looking for projects on a national level in response. This year, Guarantee is working on Centene Tower and the Saint Louis Art Museum in St. Louis and Children’s Hospital and a wastewater facility in Denver.

Some 85 percent of the company’s ownership has been transferred to employees and managers through an employee-ownership transfer program, which is in its sixth year. Gary Neal is the company’s chairman. Guarantee has offices in Missouri, Illinois, Colorado and California.

103 Brinkmann Constructors2010 revenue: $135 million -8.5%

A drop in revenue at Brinkmann Constructors is no surprise given the state of the construction business over the past two years, said Kevin Lasater, director of business development. “Our business mirrors the overall economy,” he said. “Many companies, developers, institutions and public entities have taken a ‘wait-and-see’ approach to capital improvements, new facilities or renovation of existing operations.”

Despite the dismal industry activity, Brinkmann managed to limit its losses thanks to its employees, according to Lasater. For example, the Chesterfield-based construction company does not have a stand-alone estimating department, so project personnel — from executives to engineers — price their own work accordingly, he said.

Some of Brinkmann’s projects include: the new $50 million Westminster Christian Academy; a $30 million addition to Francis Howell High School; and the $55 million mixed-use Streets of St. Charles development for Cullinan Properties.

Casino Queen in East St. Louis, Ill., added new slot machines in 2010, but its revenue still shrank in the face of local competition. Casino Queen now goes up against five other casinos, after last year’s opening of Pinnacle Entertainment’s River City Casino in Lemay.

Casino Queen attracted nearly 2,046,000 gaming fans to the new slots and to Sevens, a $2.15 million sports lounge and entertainment venue that opened in 2009. The addition of Sevens, a 6,250-square-foot facility, followed the construction of a $92 million replacement gaming complex in 2007 and $2 million in renovations in 2008. In February 2011, Casino Queen reported $11.7 million in revenue, down 9 percent from $12.8 million in the same month in 2010.

Revenue growth improved in 2010 without many changes to the security company’s operations, Greg Twardowski, president and CEO said. “We continued to expand our footprint nationwide and added offices in Kentucky, Ohio and the Pacific Northwest in early 2010.”

Twardowski said the expansion will continue this year.

The company provides security staffing services to customers ranging from office buildings to shopping malls. Its event services division provides security for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Edward Jones Dome and the Minnesota Vikings, among others.

The company was founded by Twardowski’s great-uncle, Jim Whelan, in 1949 to provide a security patrol along the St. Louis riverfront. It continues to be managed and owned by the family. Patrick Twardowski is chairman.

106 Duke Manufacturing Co.2010 revenue: $126 million -9.7%

Duke Manufacturing Co., which manufactures food service equipment for restaurant chains and dining facilities for schools and other institutions, remained acquisitive in 2010 despite a revenue loss. In November, it purchased SteelKor LLC and its wholly owned subsidiary, St. Louis Stainless Services Inc.

Duke will continue to manufacture SteelKor’s complete product line, including the X-Stream power wash system and X-Green produce safety system, under the Duke name. SteelKor’s manufacturing, sales and support staff have been moved to Duke’s plant and corporate headquarters in downtown St. Louis.

The acquisition allowed Duke to expand its core product offerings into the emerging food safety market, said owner Jack Hake, who is also the company’s chairman, president and CEO.

107 Truck Centers Inc.2010 revenue: $125.7 million +24.1%

Operators are keeping trucks longer; with that, comes increased maintenance — and increased revenue for Truck Centers Inc., which specializes in sales and service of heavy-duty trucks. Last year’s revenue, however, was still lower than what the Troy, Ill.-based company generated in 2008, when it logged $165 million in sales. Its revenue dipped in 2009 because of declining fleet sales.

Executive Vice President Katie Hopkins said in a statement that all company departments — sales, parts, service and body shop — registered increased sales in 2010. The company also celebrated its 40th year in business and completed a computer system conversion to a full Windows-based program, she said. As well, it expanded its road service fleet for on-site repairs.

Buttressed by positive first-quarter sales, the company is optimistic for 2011. “Fuel efficiency is a key focus … and we are excited to be able to offer these new fuel-efficient trucks at a time when fuel prices are a driving factor in purchasing,” Hopkins said. The company, owned by the Hopkins family, operates seven locations in Illinois and Missouri and employs 326, including 195 locally. John Hopkins is chairman and CEO, and Michael Yates is president.

108t Announce Media LLC2010 revenue: $125 million

Announce Media LLC is growing its lineup of approximately 1,000 consumer web properties. The social media provider’s parent company, AFCV Holdings, announced plans in February to acquire Answers Corp., the search engine Answers.com, for $127 million in cash.

The acquisition was expected to close in the second quarter of this year, but some of Answer Corp.’s shareholders are opposing the deal. Some investors say the market significantly undervalued Answer Corp.’s stock and AFCV Holdings’ offer price of $10.50 per share is too low.

AFCV Holdings is a portfolio company of Boston-based private equity firm Summit Partners, which acquired a majority interest in Announce. CEO David Karandish, Chief Marketing Officer Chris Sims, and board member Thomas Hillman also hold ownership stakes in the company, which was founded in 2006.

Announce Media’s web properties span consumer electronics, fashion, local business and higher education — and allow consumers to create, publish and share user-generated content. The company is headquartered in the Delmar Loop and has offices in Mountain View, Calif.

108t Slay Industries2010 revenue: $125 million (estimate)

Slay Industries saw an infusion of $97 million in cash last year from energy storage company and pipeline operator Kinder Morgan Energy Partners of Houston. In March 2010, Kinder Morgan purchased four Midwest terminals from Slay, including three in the St. Louis metro area. The transaction included a joint venture agreement between Slay and Kinder Morgan at a coal bulk terminal in Modoc, Ill. Also, in October, the state of Illinois announced Slay and Kinder Morgan would receive a combined $2 million to redevelop about 200 acres for the Port of East St. Louis.

Slay Industries runs a diverse system of transportation and distribution companies from its St. Louis headquarters. Its holdings include operations in the Midwest, the eastern United States and along the Gulf Coast.

Logistics Management Solutions President and CEO Dennis Schoemehl said his company’s revenue increase was tied to both new business and expanded work from existing clients. “Our business model is based on helping companies reduce their freight transportation costs,” Schoemehl said. “When the economy gets tough, businesses reach out to us to help them mitigate the effects of rising fuel and carrier costs and leaner budgets.”

In early March, LMS acquired Fenton-based McCann’s Piggyback Consolidation Inc., which resulted in the creation of a new subsidiary called Freight Management Solutions.

Schoemehl said the company plans to use McCann’s to allow clients to benefit from rail transportation. “As diesel fuel costs increase, truck capacity tightens and companies look for greener transportation solutions, rail becomes a very attractive mode,” Schoemehl said.

Schoemehl said his company is also seeking to increase its footprint in Mexico and is looking for either an acquisition or strategic partnership in Europe to roll out its transportation management system. The Creve Coeur-based firm, which is owned by Schoemehl, does business with clients such as BASF, Monsanto, TrueFitness, Emerson Electric and Keefe Group.